CVE-2017-20192
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows unauthenticated attackers to inject malicious scripts into WordPress forms created with the Formidable Form Builder plugin. When victims view or submit these forms, the scripts execute in their browsers, potentially stealing credentials or performing actions on their behalf. Any WordPress site using Formidable Form Builder versions before 2.05.03 is affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Formidable Form Builder for WordPress
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers could steal administrator credentials, take over the WordPress site, install backdoors, or redirect visitors to malicious sites, leading to complete site compromise and data theft.
Likely Case
Attackers inject malicious scripts to steal user session cookies, perform phishing attacks, or deface forms, compromising user accounts and site integrity.
If Mitigated
With proper input validation and output escaping, the vulnerability is neutralized, preventing script injection and maintaining site security.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires submitting malicious form entries, which is straightforward for attackers.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 2.05.03
Vendor Advisory: https://wordpress.org/plugins/formidable/#developers
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Log into WordPress admin panel. 2. Navigate to Plugins > Installed Plugins. 3. Find Formidable Form Builder and click 'Update Now'. 4. Verify version is 2.05.03 or later.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable vulnerable plugin
allTemporarily deactivate Formidable Form Builder plugin to prevent exploitation.
wp plugin deactivate formidable
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement a web application firewall (WAF) to block XSS payloads in form submissions.
- Restrict form submissions to authenticated users only if possible.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check WordPress admin panel > Plugins > Installed Plugins for Formidable Form Builder version.Check Version:
wp plugin list --name=formidable --field=versionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm plugin version is 2.05.03 or later in WordPress admin panel.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual form submissions with script tags or JavaScript code in parameters like 'after_html'.
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to form submission endpoints containing suspicious script payloads.
SIEM Query:
source="wordpress.log" AND "formidable" AND ("script" OR "javascript" OR "onload")